Reevaluating Indonesia's Failure to Adopt Finland's Education System: What Went Wrong?

Indonesia has long sought ways to improve the quality of its education system. In this pursuit, Finland's education system is often used as a benchmark. Finland is renowned as one of the countries with the best education systems in the world, thanks to its focus on student happiness, flexible learning approaches, and teacher professionalism. However, despite Indonesia's efforts to adopt some of these principles, the results have yet to show significant progress. What are the real obstacles?  

The Strengths of Finland's Education System

Finland's education system is designed with a unique approach compared to most countries. There is no pressure from major exams, allowing students to learn in a fun and exploratory way. Teachers in Finland are highly trained professionals who are deeply respected by society. Schools serve not only as places of learning but also as environments that support students' happiness.  

This approach produces students who are not only intelligent but also creative and capable of critical thinking. It's no wonder that many countries, including Indonesia, aim to emulate this success.  

Indonesia's Steps to Imitate

Indonesia has actually taken several steps to adapt Finland's principles. Through policies like 

Merdeka Belajar(Freedom to Learn) and curriculum revisions, the government has tried to give more freedom to teachers and schools in developing teaching methods. Project-based and interactive learning approaches have been introduced. However, these efforts seem to work well only on paper. When applied in the field, various challenges arise, preventing the effective adoption of this system.  

Why Did Indonesia Fail?

One of the main reasons for failure is the fundamental differences between Finland and Indonesia in terms of culture, infrastructure, and education policies.  

Learning Culture and Habits

In Finland, reading is not just an academic obligation but a part of daily life. Children grow up in environments that foster literacy from an early age. In contrast, reading interest in Indonesia remains very low. Many students read only for exams, not as an enjoyable habit.